Big Eyed Cat Card

This card is A5 is size and is made with a hand cut blank of linen effect white card.

I don’t make many individual cards for children so this was a bit of a change for me, it was for a colleague and the brief was …. second birthday, loves cats and tactile!

The cat was a clip art image and with a bit of computer wizardry I managed to change the colours from browns to pinks, which I then enlarged, copying and printing it several times, so that I could make simple decoupage layers.

There were lots of fiddlyfarty finishing touches to do after putting the background mat and layering on the card blank like making separate sections for the wording using a variety of self adhesive letters, adding micro glitter to the darker pink parts of the cat and Ranger Glossy Accents to the nose and ears, plus embellishments of humungous eyes, a matching ribbon and a couple of charms.  I guess in all this card took me about two hours to put together.

Oh Dear!

Please bear with me .... our computer has gone down again and fingers crossed that our man can fix it or at least salvage a few of the more important files on it..... 

Fortunately I have a good few FiddleFart posts scheduled and I have the use of a laptop ..... but I have lost Livewriter which I have always relied on heavily as I have never got on well with working directly in Blogger. However to further exasperate the situation Blogger has now introduced a new interface which again I have resisted until now from using, as it seems even harder to use. Now I have no choice but to use it and it's a nightmare, especially when inserting pictures, because for some reason Blogger automatically rotates some pictures so they are the wrong way round and it's so hard to work out a way to put them right in a post .... as a result a simple post that usually takes 15 to 30 minutes is taking a an awful lot longer, and that is time I don't really have. I shall however persevere and see if what happens in the next few weeks.

Off To Do Their GCSE’s

The girls I have worked with for the past year helping in their Food Technology lessons have now gone on exam leave to prepare for their GCSE’s, so to mark their last lesson we feasted greatly on pizza and I made them each a small ‘Good Luck’ card and embroidered badge.

The cards measure 3ins x 3ins which I covered with a cookery themed paper called Bake Off by Flair Designs.  The tiny paper plates were a find on e-bay and the cup cakes were from Sainsbury’s children's department a while ago.

The badges are made using my faithful Bandai Badge It and an old embroidered table cloth that I found at a card boot sale for £2.

Docrafts Boofle Cardstock Stickers And Matching Papers

A couple of weeks ago I showed you the first of a set of cards I made using Docrafts new Boofle range of stickers and papers, which I adore, and judging by the way my box at work emptied, everyone else does too!

Amongst the 6ins x 6ins paper pack there were two sheets of a patchwork (I wish there had been more) which included all the patterns in the pack, I managed to eight centre panels for my cards from these. When they were all used up I decided I wanted to continue with the patchwork theme and made up my own panels (as above) using four of the patterned papers, which I mat and layered on silver card.

I got twenty one cards from two packets of cardstock stickers and one 6 x 6 ins pack of paper with only a few scraps of paper left, and I was not “mean” with the papers, it became a bit of a challenge to use as much of the paper pad as I could.

My only tiny criticism of the cardstock pack is that I wish there were just a few more stemmed flower embellishments for Boofle to hold or to fill in the odd space.

….. this is so funny coming from the woman who usually moans about having too many bitty things that she can’t use on a sticker sheet!

Although I have used the same range of papers and embellishments it’s amazing to see how the different combinations can make the cards look quite different.

Angry Bird Birthday Card

This card measures 5ins x 5ins and is made using a hand cut blank using a white linen effect card.

My brother loves Angry Birds, but I don’t have a clue,  so I did some Googling, and all I can say there are some very, very clever people out there, because I found a blog written by Debbie Naylor  and I was blown away …. especially when I found her very simple instructions for making one of the Angry Birds

http://unfrogettablestamping.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/angry-bird-punch-art.html

Have a look, Debbie has such lovely ideas, she’s really spurred me to look at more Punch Art ideas, that perhaps I can transfer to using with Elizabeth Shaw mints. 

I also found another punched Angry Bird template on Michelle’s blog, which I just had to have a go at, very quickly, to put on the envelope for my brothers card.

http://inspirationink.typepad.com/inspiration-ink/2012/03/march-punch-art-class-follow-up.html  - BRILLIANT!

Wooden New Home Tags

These tags measure 7cm x 3.5cm and are made using wooden children’s dominoes that I have found on e-bay.

I’ve used scraps left over from my My Mind’s Eye Stella and Rose – Gertie paper pad. I love the papers/patterns so much, I only throw the tiniest, unusable bits away.

I’ve had the wooden houses for years, right from my very first days of crafting and as they are not so fashionable any more they are taking a while to use up.  A bit of doodling and handwritten sentiments finish of the design..

Wedding Card

This card is A5 in size and is made using ivory linen effect card.

Less is more today, with a design I have used/shown several times before, but in a different colour way. My sister-in-law asked me to make a wedding card that reflected elements of  a wedding invitation she had received.  The basic colours being ivory and burgundy. You can’t see very clearly but I’ve added three very tiny flat backed pearls on the printed heart and burgundy faux stitching.

As a finishing touch I’ve added a seal that was originally on the invitation envelope to the card.

Las Vegas Wedding Card

This card is A5 in size and is made using white linen effect card.

Oh my, this makes your eyes pop.  I’ve used an image I found by Googling “Las Vegas Wedding” and then have made a simple decoupage layer for the middle part of the cake. It doesn’t show up very well in the photo but I’ve used Ranger Glossy Accents on all the yellow icing to add texture, dimension and over the top glitz.

It took a bit of computer jiggery pockery to put the wedding couples name on the chips, which were then cut out and covered with more Glossy Accents.  A too garish for me …. but it so suits the occasion!

A Card Made From A Parcel Sent By Melanie …..

I am always overwhelmed when someone takes the time to write to me and then sends me  something wonderful….. that happened a few weeks back when, after a fraught day at work, I found this exquisite package from Melanie sat sitting on my door mat …

It was crammed with all sorts of treasure and I was so thrilled!  Amongst the lovely bits I found this pack of Docrafts “Tulip” embellishments, which though I have seen in the shops I have never ventured to buy, and this was now was an ideal opportunity to try them out …..

I married them up with two papers from my Boofle 6ins x 6ins paper pack, which matched perfectly, punching a few hearts to fill in the “white space”.

I now have a spooky sort of feeling that when the card goes into my staffroom box someone is going to say it’s perfect for someone they know who got engaged, married, honeymooned in Venice, I shall keep you informed!

xxx Thank you so much Melanie xxxx …. and as you can see from the photo above your envelope has been by my desk constantly since it arrived,  so that I can delve into it whenever I need the finishing touch for a card or something. THANK YOU!

Wooden Flower Pot Tags

The picture/printing quality on these wooden dominoes is distinctly dubious because when I applied double sided tape with my ATG gun the picture immediately lifted on the tape!  I found them on e-bay, the original price was 99p but it said make an offer,  so I offered 50p and the offer was accepted,  postage was £2.42, but all together it was still a lot cheaper than if I had bought them in a shop and had paid my busfare to go and get them …. but I got such a surprise when they arrived as they had been posted in Israel!!  That's a lot of busfare!

Each domino measures 7.5cm x 3.5cm and are perfect for my ever growing stash of tags.

I am trying to make at least one new batch of tags a week, using up as many old embellishments and bits and pieces as I can, then, by November/December I will have several hundred which I then hope to sell at a craft fayre …. I might even buy some brown or other plain paper sheets to sell to go with them  ….. but it’s all a bit pie in the sky at the moment……

I just thought it would be something a bit different amongst all the usual stalls you find at fayres

Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisp - Birthday Medal

I should really start another blog called “100 Things To Do With An Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisp”!

I thought it would be fun to make a birthday medal using one of these infamous chocolates!

There’s not a lot to it, I’ve just used a scrap of stripy card, some peel offs, a scallop circle punch, some glittery corners, a few flat backed gems and a Craftwork Cards die cut birthday sentiment.

I’ve just mounted mine on a piece of 10.5 cm x 7cm card and then put it into a 12.5cm x 7.5cm cello bag to give as a favour,  but it could easily be put on the front of a card instead.

Hello Kitty Cards

These cards all measure 4ins x 4ins.

These card stickers were a bit of an impulse  buy while I was away in Dawlish the other weekend …. at £1.50 I ermed and ahhed as the sizes in the pack varied, I knew I could use the large ones but wasn’t too sure about the smaller ones  …. but as I was in a frivolous holiday mood they just slipped into my bag.

And these are the  first few that I came up with …..

Robo Craft Carrier Sheets

Thank you for all your help and suggestions of where I might find new carrier sheets for my Quickutz Silhouette, I have now put all the suggested websites on my favourites for when the situation arises again. ….

However I managed to get two packs of sheets for two maiden bids of £8.50 on e-bay …. although they were marked at £12.46   so I know I had a BRILLIANT bargain and they arrived within 48 hours! The Gods of Crafting were certainly looking down upon me!

Punched Flower Wedding Card

This card is A5 in size and is made with a hand cut card blank using a white linen effect card.

This card was made for a friend who wanted a wedding card made that reflected the invitation she had received.

At first I was a little flummoxed by the task, I did considered scanning the pattern but that would have just looked pants.

In the end I decided to used punches in various sizes and tried to match the colours as best I could. I was a little unsure about adding the leaves but without them there didn’t see to be much flow to the design.  Perhaps, not my choice of colours/pattern for a wedding but I am still chuffed with the result.

Little Boat Card

This covered hand cut card blank measures 5ins x 5ins.

A very simple mat and layered card today, using a boat embellishment from Michaels sent to me by Dianne, a text print paper from Papermania’s A5 Bookprint paper pad, coloured at the bottom with a Promarker pen, a contrasting paper from a pack that came free with a card magazine and a bit of blue corrugated card.  Done and dusted!

Diamond Jubilee Crafts – Jubilee Badges

No celebration would be right without me getting my Bandai Badge-It to make a few badges …….

I’ve done a bit of computer jiggery pokery by putting a circular union jack image and a cartoon of The Queen together …..

I can’t wait to wear mine!

Diamond Jubilee Crafts - Envelope Gift Bag

Marc has been nagging me to make one of these gift bags from an envelope forever, so with Diamond Jubilee ideas buzzing in my head I thought I would give it a try with a Jubilee twist ….

I’ve used an ordinary white envelope, plus a die cut crown and cut up Union Jack paper chains from Poundworld to decorate both sides.

Now I admit to being very lazy and rather that do my own tutorial I have cheated and found this film by Hero Arts on YouTube which will explain far better than I ever could.

Here is another tutorial you might also like to have a look at:-http://iwannabuildamemory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/envelope-gift-bag-tutorial-for-kraft.html
or failing that just Google – envelope gift bag.

Diamond Jubilee Crafts –Elizabeth Shaw Favours

No celebration would be right without getting out the old Elizabeth Shaw chocolate crisps! For the Diamond Jubilee I have kept everything very simple – but they are still pretty cute!

I found a circular Union Jack and simply resized it to produce a sheet of images to punch out with my plain 1 3/8” Stampin’ Up circle punch,

Then I layered the punched image on to a gold scalloped circle (also made using a Stampin’Up punch) to cover the front and back of an Elizabeth Shaw Butterscotch Crisp,  chosen especially for the matching gold foil wrappings!!!

I haven’t been able to find any packets of small, plain, gold crown stickers (yet) so I’ve used a flat backed (plastic!!) diamond to continue the Jubilee theme. Done and dusted!